1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus (e.g., image forming apparatus such as multi-function peripheral (MFP)) capable of managing usage of various functions (e.g., printing function) and a work flow management method.
2. Description of the Related Art
A document work flow structured by a series of operations in which a plurality of functions are combined is executed in an office or other places by utilizing functions of an image forming apparatus represented by an MFP (Multi Function Peripheral).
Hereinafter, an example of the document work flow will be described. When a user A desires to print 1000 copies of distribution materials, after 10 pages of originals are scanned in the MFP, the user A notifies a supervisor B of the user A of an acknowledgment request. Next, the supervisor B checks its content from a PC or the like. When the supervisor B acknowledges the request, a notification is delivered to an operator C. Then, the operator C prints MFP 1000 copies (10000 pages) of the originals in the MFP. In other words, this document work flow is structured by an original setting step (client), an acknowledgment step (acknowledger), and a printing step (operator).
In addition, an image forming apparatus capable of performing upper limit value management for limiting the usage is known in which for a purpose of accounting management or output suppression, an upper limit value is set for the number of sheet that can be printed in a certain period of time for each user or each group, for example.
Moreover, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-152139 discloses an image forming apparatus configured to control an upper limit count value set for each job ID, a current count value that is counted in accordance with an output process, and a reservation count value to be reserved. In this image forming apparatus, when it is determined that an addition result of the count value used in the output of the reservation job and the current count value exceeds the upper limit value and also when a guaranty mode is set in the reservation job, the reservation job is cancelled. As a result, the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-152139 describes that, after the process of the reservation job is started, such a situation is prevented from occurring that the process is not completed as the upper limit value is reached until the process of the reservation job is completed.
However, according to the conventional technologies, such a control that the upper limit values for a plurality of functions are managed to complete a work flow structured by a plurality of operation steps is not envisioned.
In addition, according to the conventional technologies, such a control that the upper limit values for a plurality of functions are integrally managed for a work flow in which a plurality of operation steps are sequentially processed is not also envisioned.
According to the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-152139, it is impossible to cope with a case where a time lag is generated from the instruction of the process start until the completion of the process as in the work flow. For example, the work flow takes time until the series of processes are completed as the time lag is generated between the first process step and the last process step as a plurality of process steps are prepared. For this reason, it can be considered that there is a room until the upper limit use amount at the time of the work flow start but at the time when the process of the work flow actually reaches the user, the user executes another job. Then, no room is available in the use amount that can be used by the user because the other job has been executed. Regarding the work flow process, for example, the print counter number becomes insufficient and the process cannot be performed. As a result, there is a problem in that the work flow is retarded.
According to the technology disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-152139, such a case where a time lag is generated from the process start until the completion of the process as in the work flow, a process different from the work flow is executed during this period, and the process of the work flow cannot be performed is not envisioned. As a result, according to the conventional technology, such a situation may occur in which even though the start of the work flow has been instructed, the processing of the work flow cannot be completed.